Whitney Houston Update: Was She A Victim Of Extortion?

The late Whitney Houston was an international superstar that touched the lives of millions of people. However, FBI files on the talented singer recently surfaced again, indicating that the pop diva was a victim of extortion.

The 128-page file released by the FBI indicates that Houston was a victim of harassment and extortion, stemming from her close friendship with Robyn Crawford, an openly-gay marketing consultant. Houston was threatened by letters from a woman who wrote that if the singer didn’t pay $250,000, her alleged affair with Crawford would be made public.

“Houston’s romantic relationships, and will go public with the information unless [name edited] is paid $250,000. [Name edited] told [name edited] client will sign a confidentiality agreement if [name edited] is paid the $250,000.”

The extortion attempts were released a few years ago by the FBI under the Freedom of Information Act requests, but the story has surfaced yet again with the release of Ian Halperin’s new book, Whitney & Bobbi Kristina: The Deadly Price of Fame.

The book not only states that Houston was extorted due to an alleged affair with Crawford, but it also indicates that her father, John Russell Houston, knew of the harassment and was scared that Crawford would go public with her relationship with Houston.

“We’ve got to do something about that mother f****** b****. She’s ruining my family and driving everybody nuts. She’s lost her grip on reality. I’ll pay you $6,000 if you put the fear of God in her.”

Shortly after the extortion attempts, Houston married Bobby Brown. However, there is no proof that Houston married Brown to squash the bi-sexual affair rumors.

The FBI files also included over 70 letters from an obsessed fan that would not stop stalking Houston. USA Today reports that the fan, whose name was edited out of the files, was on the FBI’s “watch list” because the troubled fan mail writer “might hurt someone with some crazy idea and not realize how stupid an idea it was until after it was done.”

Houston, however, always said that her relationship with Crawford was just a platonic friendship. Crawford has yet to confirm or deny the rumors.

Meanwhile, Bobbi Kristina Brown, the only daughter of the late Whitney Houston, remains in a long-term rehabilitation center in Atlanta, fighting for her life. Family members continue to pray for Bobbi Kristina, and ask fans and supporters to never give up hope.